grapevine

Was with a guy today I’ve a lot of time for that has just become, after takeover fall-out, the Head of Sales for a £¼bn business.  One of his new teams, is a brand new part of the structure.  An idea transfered from his new American colleagues, it’s

I was reminded of something quite essential yesterday when meeting a potential new prospect for the first time.   Although a difficult chap to generate any bonhomie and genuine rapport with, one insight he did offer was what he expects of his team. During the twelve years he’d worked in

While searching for help on the rather unappealing topic of statutory sick pay, I came across some sales tips from a general business advice website.  I was pleasantly surprised to see a fairly common-sense and clearly knowing selection of planning advice.  The part that particularly caught my eye were the

Interesting mini-objection handle, aimed at situations when people are being swayed by minutiae that is far too tekkie for your liking.  A fella called Steve Chuter, who sells awesome drinks dispense kit (at last, a 5-second pint at footie games!) passed me this neat little gem. Often sales people get

One of the leaders of a customer’s sales team I’ve got to know recently has had an interesting career spanning the school of hard knocks and bruises that are photocopiers and recruitment.  Steve Chuter his name is and he has plenty of engaging anecdotes about life in such

Came across a neat piece of best-practice from one of my customers in N Wales.  They sell handtools for the pro, to electrical wholesalers, engineers merchants and the like.  A new product was launched earlier this year that all the reps seemed to be impressed with.  They duly went out

What can you talk about when you face the brick wall of prospects saying they don’t need any help.  Especially when you’re cold calling for a meeting or the like.  In the specific instance they say things like: * “We’re doing fine as it is thanks” * “We’re

A few years ago I was on a BA flight to Cape Town, in the good old days when they at least had a decent radio channel on pop-business stuff and stewards without attitude, and I think it was some bloke called Bill McFarlan talking about the need to avoid

Had a thoroughly enjoyable meeting in the sunshine in the back garden of one of my customers Friday afternoon. Luckily we had silence as his kids were hooked to the live feeds of Big Brother inside. We were discussing motivating sales people who claim they’re highly money-orientated, yet their